Bad Starter...or Battery?!

Ray280 said:
Hi. I don't want to scare you off, but your story sounds bit too familiar... Of course your problems can be just electric or something in starter motor. Just want you to know what happened to me...
Click to expand...

Everyone, thanks for your very helpful comments. I haven't updated this post in awhile, sorry about that. So I'm here to update...and so far, no good news really.

Immediately after reading your messages, I was able to spray fogging oil and WD-40 into the starboard side bank of the starboard engine through the spark plug holes. I then started it up and it eventually ran nicely. I shut it down and changed the oil. Didn't really notice any water in the oil, and the level wasn't raised on the dipstick either.

I then assumed since I changed the manifolds, spacers and elbows last summer that one of those gaskets was the culprit. I purchased two new Mercruiser gaskets and took the riser and spacer off. I was hoping for a smoking gun, like a water pathway, but didn't see any noticeable issues. So I put it all back together with the new gaskets and new sealant around the water gaskets. Let it dry for 24hrs...

I put it back in the water (it's on a lift normally), and took it for a 1/2 hour ride. It ran great. I was super careful to come off of plane very slowly. I even shut it down and restarted it just fine. Put it on the lift for the night.

Came back two days later just to start it up and noticed symptoms again. It would turn over for a second and then hesitate. When it did that a second time, I stopped. Pulled the plugs on the starboard side bank and while no water came out immediately, all three of the plugs showed signs of water when I tapped them into my palm. Spun it over slowly and water pushed out. It looks like mostly cylinder #4, but there was some in #2 also. #6 looked mostly dry, but like I said, the plug was wet with water.

I put them all back in and fired it up again. It ran fine.

So that's where I'm at now. WTF?! What could possibly make all three cylinders to have water ingestion issues? I would think a head gasket would fail in either one cylinder, or between cylinders and you'd have two adjoining cylinders with water. But all 3?

Could it be the manifold, or the spacer, or the riser? I don't see how it could, but...

Ray280, you say your #5 cylinder was your issue? Did it affect any others? Are you doing all of this work while the engine remains in the boat? At this point, I'm thinking a tear-down is becoming my only option. While I'm completely frustrated about diving into this, I doubt I can afford having someone else do it. And you know the real kicker? I just pulled the engine last year to fix a small water leak in the transom assembly and to just clean up, paint, etc. and make it look nice again!! I had the engine just sitting in my garage... :mad:

Your continued ideas would be appreciated!

Anyone want to buy a boat, cheap?!

Tom
 
Tom are your engines Fresh Water Cooled(Antifreeze) or Raw Water Cooled?
 
Gunn said:
Everyone, thanks for your very helpful comments. I haven't updated this post in awhile, sorry about that. So I'm here to update...and so far, no good news really.

Immediately after reading your messages, I was able to spray fogging oil and WD-40 into the starboard side bank of the starboard engine through the spark plug holes. I then started it up and it eventually ran nicely. I shut it down and changed the oil. Didn't really notice any water in the oil, and the level wasn't raised on the dipstick either.

I then assumed since I changed the manifolds, spacers and elbows last summer that one of those gaskets was the culprit. I purchased two new Mercruiser gaskets and took the riser and spacer off. I was hoping for a smoking gun, like a water pathway, but didn't see any noticeable issues. So I put it all back together with the new gaskets and new sealant around the water gaskets. Let it dry for 24hrs...

I put it back in the water (it's on a lift normally), and took it for a 1/2 hour ride. It ran great. I was super careful to come off of plane very slowly. I even shut it down and restarted it just fine. Put it on the lift for the night.

Came back two days later just to start it up and noticed symptoms again. It would turn over for a second and then hesitate. When it did that a second time, I stopped. Pulled the plugs on the starboard side bank and while no water came out immediately, all three of the plugs showed signs of water when I tapped them into my palm. Spun it over slowly and water pushed out. It looks like mostly cylinder #4, but there was some in #2 also. #6 looked mostly dry, but like I said, the plug was wet with water.

I put them all back in and fired it up again. It ran fine.

So that's where I'm at now. WTF?! What could possibly make all three cylinders to have water ingestion issues? I would think a head gasket would fail in either one cylinder, or between cylinders and you'd have two adjoining cylinders with water. But all 3?

Could it be the manifold, or the spacer, or the riser? I don't see how it could, but...

Ray280, you say your #5 cylinder was your issue? Did it affect any others? Are you doing all of this work while the engine remains in the boat? At this point, I'm thinking a tear-down is becoming my only option. While I'm completely frustrated about diving into this, I doubt I can afford having someone else do it. And you know the real kicker? I just pulled the engine last year to fix a small water leak in the transom assembly and to just clean up, paint, etc. and make it look nice again!! I had the engine just sitting in my garage... :mad:

Your continued ideas would be appreciated!

Anyone want to buy a boat, cheap?!

Tom
Click to expand...
Hi Tom

Happy to say that my hydrolock problems were fixed with new cylinder head. Only problem in there was this corroded hole in water jacket just above exhaust valve in #5 cylinder. And yes, even though the hole was only above one cylinder, water came into all the cylinders on that side. How I figured it out was that when I stopped the motor, I took away spark plugs on that side and I let it stand for couple of hours. Then I used endoscope through spark plug holes and I were able to see that when I turned the motor by hand, and when exhaust valve opened, water started to flow into the cylinder. So it was always about in which position motor was when it stopped. If exhaust valve was left open in #5 cylinder then it filled that cylinder, but if it was closed water level started to rise in cylinder head exhaust chamber and then filled exhaust manifold and from there started to pour into#3 cylinder and sometimes into #1 cylinder, depending how all exhaust valves were on that side.

As in your case I were able to run with that motor with no problems, if I took away spark plugs on that side and pumped all the water away from cylinders. When motor was running, all that water that leaked was pushed away with exhaust.

Yes... I did all that work while engine was in boat and it actually was in the lake :)
I pulled the boat into trailer at first when we thought that problem was in exhaust flappers. First dismantling and assembly was done in trailer but because problem wasn't fixed and needed to do again I just decided to do it while the boat was in water. All I needed to do was remove all wiring assembly, some hoses, exhaust manifold, intake manifold and cylinder head. It wasn't that bad when you do it twice in two weeks... :)

I really think that your problem is the same than mine and I believe that you can fix it for sure if I was able to. When this problem started, I didn't know anything about the engines. Now i know lot more...
 
Don't forget to replace the shutters in the exhaust to keep water from coming into your exhaust.
 
Since it is only happening on one engine / one side, we can assume you have the right gaskets and they are installed properly - especially since you have done it twice now. I would start looking at the riser and manifold - even though they are new, there could be a defect - they are cast items. Take the manifold off, plug the outlets and fill it with water, wait and see if any water leaks out through an exhaust port. Not that it should matter, are these OEM manifolds/risers?
 
Well did you figure it out. I'm going thru something Similar. The gaskets on my risers and exhaust manifold has a blockage gasket. A stainless plate with a tiny hole on one end. Theres small rectangle shaped holes on the elbow side. That's where the exhaust exits thru. So if the upper and lower gasket fails water will leak into the exhaust ports. The main water flow of hot water coming out of the engine and spits out the back is very strong. So even a tiny sliver leak would allow water to enter exhaust. But in trying to understand the mechanics of these systems.. according to my mercruiser manual exhaust mixes with a little water and blows it out. I guess the tiny hole allows some pressure relief and to help cool the water. So when replacing these gaskets the surfaces must be completely cleaned and flat. From what I read mercruiser does not recommend gasket sealer. Not sure about that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,177
Messages
1,427,983
Members
61,086
Latest member
MrWebster
Back
Top